Parish street signs continue to disappear

Vandals continue to target street signs in St. Charles Parish, with five more signs reported stolen in Hahnville and Destrehan.

At Lincoln Street and River Road in Hahnville vandals removed a stop sign and post, while in Ashton Drive in Destrehan thieves made off with a "No Dumping" sign. Other thefts included signs stolen at Whitehall Drive and Longwood Drive in addition to Ashton Drive and Longwood Drive, all in Destrehan, according to parish officials.

The St. Charles Parish Council recently increased the maximum fine for the vandalism of parish property from $100 to $500 late last year. In October and November a total of five street signs were stolen in the Mimosa area.

Renee Simpson, spokeswoman for St. Charles Parish, said that residents who notice a street sign missing in their community should call the Emergency Operations Center at (985) 783-5050 immediately. Parish sign technicians will respond 24/7 to replace the sign as quickly as possible in the interest of safety.